ComedyHarland Williams boasts a northern exposure on...

Comedy

Harland Williams boasts a northern exposure on his stand-up act, having honed it in Toronto for seven years before bringing it to California about five years ago to be closer to casting central. Williams likes to chat with his audiences and take them on an absurd, uncharted ride. His style has been described as if “Emo Phillips had gone skinny-dipping in Jimmy Stewart’s gene pool.”

The star of the WB network’s “Simon” has also appeared in Jim Carrey’s “Dumb and Dumber” as well as on “Ellen” and the “Late Show With David Letterman.”

* Who: Harland Williams.

* When: Tonight at 8:30, Friday at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m., Saturday at 8 and 10:30 p.m., Sunday at 8 p.m.

* Where: Irvine Improv, 4255 Campus Drive, Irvine.

* Whereabouts: Exit the San Diego (405) Freeway at Jamboree Road; go south. Turn left onto Campus Drive. The club is in the Irvine Marketplace.

* Wherewithal: $8-$12.

* Where to call: (714) 854-5455.

Kid Stuff

Some folks say that spirits live in the international array of masks that hang in the Bowers Kidseum, and when the facility shuts its doors for the night, some of those spirits come out to play.

If they venture out Friday night they’ll be in for a surprise, because the year-old museum is hosting its first-ever sleepover, welcoming 30 kids ages 6 to 12 and several adult chaperons into its galleries for an evening that will include bedtime stories from around the world, snacks and plenty of time to explore the museum’s hands-on displays.

* What: Bowers Kidseum’s Dream Time Tales Sleepover.

* When: Friday at 8 p.m. through Saturday at 8 a.m.

* Where: 2002 N. Main St., Santa Ana.

* Whereabouts: Exit the Santa Ana (5) Freeway at 17th street; go west. Turn right onto Main Street.

* Wherewithal: $25; reservations required.

* Where to call: (714) 480-1522.

Country Music

In the good old days (well, for us, anyway), you could catch Jann Browne about one whole weekend a month down at the Swallow’s Inn in San Juan Capistrano. But now that the rest of the world has caught onto her rich, distinctive, exceptional blend of country and rock, opportunities to hear O.C.’s own sweetheart of the rodeo on her home turf are rare.

She’ll be here Saturday night, though, when she’s expected to unveil a bunch of new songs before hitting the road to the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland.

* Who: Jann Browne.

* When: Saturday at 8 p.m.

* Where: The Coach House, 33157 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano.

* Whereabouts: Exit Interstate 5 at Camino Capistrano and turn left. The Coach House is in the Esplanade Plaza, on the right.

* Wherewithal: $10.

* Where to call: (714) 496-8930.

Music

The male a-Capella group Chanticleer took its name from the loud and clear-singing rooster in one of Geoffrey Chaucer’s more bawdy “Canterbury Tales.” Since its formation in 1978, the San Francisco-based group has made its name singing literature that runs from the Renaissance to modern day.

On Saturday at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, the 12-member group will sing works ranging from the 15th to the 19th centuries, including Guillaume Dufay’s “Gloria ad modum tubae,” Renaissance madrigals, modern spirituals and Francis Poulenc’s “Chanson a boire.”

* Who: Chanticleer.

* When: Saturday at 8 p.m.

* Where: Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine.

* Whereabouts: Exit the San Diego (405) Freeway at Jamboree Road; go south. Turn left onto Campus Drive. The theater is on Campus near Bridge Road, across from the Marketplace mall.

* Wherewithal: $14-$18.

* Where to call: (714) 854-4646.